Machine for casting rims on spools



Dec. 1, 1959 L. H. MORIN 2,914,800

MACHINE FOR CASTING RIMS 0N SPOOLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 15, 1957 INVENTOR. 100/5 A. 1 2/ Dec. 1, 1959 Filed Aug. 15, 1957 Z5 84 |l I 1a 70 A 66 L. H. MORIN MACHINE FOR CASTING RIMS ON SPOOLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 100/5 16- Wale/A Dec. 1, 1959 1.. H. MORIN MACHINE FOR CASTING RIMS on SPOOLS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 15, 1957 Dec. 1, 1959 L. H. MORIN MACHINE FOR CASTING RIMS 0N SPOOLS Filed Au 15, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

100/5 fl- NOE/A Dec. 1, 1959 L. H. MORIN 2,914,800

I MACHINE FOR CASTING RIMS ON SPOOLS Filed Aug. 15. 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 w 9 Tun!" INVHV TOR. 400/5 6- Jae/4r and parts in section.

United States Patent 2,914,800 MACHINE FOR CASTING RIMS ON srooL's Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N.Y., assignor to Coats & Clark 'Inc New York, N .Y. a corporation of Delaware Application August 15, 1957,Ser ial No. 678,307

9 claims. (Cl. 18-5 invention deals with a mach ine of the character described, wherein a spool body is delivered to a predetermined ice Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic sectional plan of part of th mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4, showing the position of the parts of the unit consistent with the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 6. p

Fig. 8 is a view, similar to Fig. 6, diagrammatically illustrating the units positioning the spools or workpieces adjacent the dies and trimming station.

Fig. 9 is a view, similar to Fig. 7, showing the position of the unit delivering the spool or workpiece in posi- 0 tion between the dies.

station in the machine and there picked up by a pickup anddie delivery unit, which swings the spool body into position betweena pair of dies; whereupon, the dies and associated members move into engagement with the spool .body and}; then, another trimming pickup and carry unit engages the rimmed product and swings it fromopen dies to a trimming station, preparatory to discharge of ,thetrimmed product from the machine.

Stillmore particularly, the invention deals with a machineof the character described, wherein the first pickup and die delivery unit picks up and delivers a next successivespool bodyito thedie, while-thefirst spool body is trimmed at the trimming station and discharged from the machine.

The novel features of thel'invention will be best understood ,from the .following description, when taken together with theaccompanying drawing, in which: certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separ ate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views. and, in which:

. Fig, 1 is a diagrammatic showing of the main shaftings of the machine, omittingall illustration of the frame parts and showing most. of the gears. in plain elevation Fig. 1a is :a view of partof the shafting not illustrated'in Fig. 1 and diagrammatically illustrating the movement of the injection mechanism with respect to the die parting line. I

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic end view illustratingthe ar- Q-rangement of the shaftings shown, in part, in Figs. 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view through the parting lineof the dies, showing the cores and. injection cylinder in section and illustrating thefformati'on of the rim ends"upon end portions of a'preformedor cast spool, body andlindicating part of theQgrippers engaging the, spool body, preparatory to delivery of the finished molded productto, the trimming station.

,Fig. 4 ajdetail plan and sectional'viewof the spool ,pi ckup and'delivery unit for delivering the spool into position between the dies of the machine, the .unit being shown in position preparatory to picking up a spool from a. spool delivery station.

, Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional plan of part of the 7 construction shown in Fig. 4, illustrating the mechanism fo'ractuating the grippers of the unit shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic detail view of mechanism at one side of the machine for applying servo-power pressure to the die in moving the same into closed position.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of a corner portion of a spool body, showing the rim attached thereto, the section being substantially on the line 1 1-11 of Fig. 12; and I i Fig. 12 is an end view of the structure as seen in Fig. 11. In order to simplify the presentation and consideration of the machine forming the subject matter of this application, the showing in the accompanying drawings, with the exception of Figs. 3, 4, 11 and 12, are diagrammatic and roughly schematic, particularly with respect to the showing in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawing.

My machine deals with the casting or molding ,of a secondary part, or parts, upon a preformed article or workpiece which, in some instances, can be a cast or molded part such, for example, as the spool body 15 shown in elevation and in section in Fig. 3 of the drawing and partially in detail in Figs. 11 and 12.

The spool comprises a tubular body, or barrel, 16 joining a central tube 17 in end rib wall members 18, the body. 16 being formed, at its ends, with outwardly projecting rim supporting portions 19, one of which is shown in enlarged sectional detail in Fig. 11 of the drawing, the portions 19 being spaced from the ends of the body 16, as seen at 20. The portions 19 have, at their outer ends, recesses 21 and, on the bevelled wall portions thereof, other recesses 22which receive portions 23 and 24 of the resulting cast-on rims 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 11. 5

Formed integrally with therim s 25 are circumferentially spaced rib-like members 26 which extend into the recesses 20 and form stops for labels disposed upon the outer surfaces of the walls 18. The rims 25 also include outwardly projecting annular flange portions 27 which, in attachmentof labels, are formed inwardly upon the peripheryofthe labels to support the same in engagement with the walls 18. 1

My present machine deals with the delivery of spool bodies, such as at 15 or other types of workpieces from a hopper fed station, diagrammatically shown at 28 in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawing. I

Turning now to the illustrations in Figs. 1, 1a and 2, 29 represents a drive shaft driven from a motor 30' by a dual belt and pulley drive, shown collectively at 31 in Fig. l of the drawing. At one end of the shaft 29 is a gear 32 arrangedin a suitable housing. Also in this housing and meshing with the gear 32 is a gear 33' on an intermediate shaft 34 having, at its left end, a pinion, diagrammatically shown at 35.

The pinion 35 meshes with a gear 36 upon a clutch shaft 37, part of the clutch being diagrammatically seen at 38 in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the shaft 37 having, at its outer end, a handwheel 39, note Fig. 1, for manual rotation of the shafts of the machine.

On the shaft 37 to the right of the gear 36 is a pinion 40, noteFig 1, which meshes with a gear 41 on an intermediate shaft 42, note Fig. 1. On the shaft 42 is a gear 43 which meshes ;with agear :44 on a main cam shaft 45. A gear -46, on a supplemental cam shaft 47,

, 3 meshes with the gear 41, the latter gear 46 and shaft being illustrated in Fig. la of the drawing.

On the shaft 42 is a brake drum 48, with which an automatically actuated brake mechanism 49 operates in stopping the drive'of the machine as and when any of the automaticallyactuating mechanism of the machine fail to properly functiom' "At this time, it will be pointed out that various types of controls and switches are provided for the various mechanisms of the machine and these control or are in operative engagement with the brake mechanism for stopping 'the machine, but no elfort will be made to describe in detail these various controls, although a diagrammatic 'showing'of some of the controls is illustrated in Fig. 1a and later described.

Turning now to Fig. la'of the drawing]. have illustrated, at50, the casing or housing'fo'r the injection cylinder for the pressure discharge of plastic material into the"'dies,' as laterdescribed;'the'ehargebeing actuated through a' hydraulic cylinder? diagrammatically seen at 51," and operatedby' a cam sron'thesiiaft-47.

At 50' is illustrated the pivot axis of the casing 50 and at 53 is indicated, by dot-dash lines, the center'line or parting line of the dies. Normally, the casing is positioned to the right of the center line 53 with the nozzle 54 offset with respect to the die center. However, in the injection charge, the nozzle 54 is brought into alinement with the center line 53, in other words, to a position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, by operation of a cam 55 on the shaft 47, the'cam actuating a leve r56, pivoted as seen at 57, with a connecting rod 58 joining the free end of the lever 56 with the casing 50, as is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1a of the drawing.

While considering Fig. la of the drawing, two other cams 59 and 60 are on the shaft 47, the cam 59 actuating a hydraulic valve or mechanism 61 for applying the pressure squeeze action in firmly closing the dies through mechanism shown, in part,-in Fig. 10 of the drawing and later described. The cam 60 'actuates a hydraulic valve or control 62 for actuating the upper and lower cores 63 and 64, shown, in part, in section in Fig. 3 of the drawing. At the righthand end of the shaft 47 is a bevelled gear 65, driving another bevelled gear 66 on a multiple air valve actuating cam shaft 67, having a plurality of earns 68 thereon, operating a plurality of valves 69. These several valves are part of the controls for die' and core safety operation, as well as for other mechanisms of the machine and, particularly, in actuating the 'spool or workpiece'grippers' 70 ofv the transfer and delivery unit 71'for picking up the spools from the station 28 for delivery to the die, as well as similar grippers 70" of a ilnit '72for picking up the finished cast or molded product at the dies and transferring the same to a trimming station, diagrammatically seen at 73 in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawing.

'In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown, at 74, a face view of one of the'dies and the companion die 74 is shown diagrammatically in Figs/6 and 8 of the drawing. These dies are actuated through cams 75, 75 on the cam shaft 45, note Fig. 1, the cams actuating levers, one of which is indicated, in part, at 76 in Fig. 10 of 'the drawing for actuating the diesthrough yieldable means, asat 77, connected to a lever 78, pivoted, as seen at 79;, to the lower end of a long lever 80, the latter being actuated through the hydraulic valve 61 in final squeeze pressure to the die after the die has been moved into closed position by operation of the lever'78 upon a link 81 pivoted to the end portion of the die, as seen at 82. The brief description of the diagrammatic showing in 1018 applied only to the lefthand end portion, or for operating the left die of the machine. The position of the parts shown in full lines in Fig. 1Q would be the elosed position of the die; whereas, in the open position of die, Parts" assnmeth position indicated in iqqt a pv f.

enter n Eis- 3. 9f the r w n it. w l appear tha the die has a cavity to receive the spool body 15 delivered to it and the dies have cutout portions, as at 83, to receive the grippers 70, 70, so as to support the spool in position to seat properly in the cavity of the dies, as well as to permit the grippers 70' to enter the dies to grab the finished cast product, preparatory to transferring the product from the dies, when opened, to the trimming station 73. Thus, one of the grippers 70' is illustrated in Fig. 3. positioned freely within the cutout or opening 83.

Also considering Fig. 3, it will appear that the cores 63, 64 have projecting portions 84, 84' which extend into the recesses 20 of the spool body and these projections are fashioned so as to form the spaced ribs 26 on the resulting cast-on rims 25 It will also appear that inner ends of the cores 63 abut the end walls 18 of the spool body and the cavity of the dies is fashioned to form the contour of the cast-on rims, as is clearly illustrated in the face view of the ,die 74 shown Fig.' 3 of the drawing. It might be said, at this time, that, after the casting operation, as noted in Fig. 3, the'cores 63, 64 are first moved out of engagement with the formed product, after which the dies are opened and the gripper unit 72 is actuated to move the cast product from position between the dies to the trimming station 73, whereupon, the trimming tools 73', 73", at said station, are moved toward each other by action ofcarns 85, 85 on the shaft 45, note Fig. 1. The tools 73, 73" trim the gate 86 which extends to each of the rims, note Fig. 3, from the rims; whereupon, the grippers 70' are actuated to free the cast product for delivery from the machine, these grippers being actuated similarly to the grippers 70, actuation of which will be later described, but both of these actuations are through two of the air valves 69, diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1a.

The rough schematic showings of Figs. 6 and 8 are, by no means, to be considered accurate, but simply to portray schematically an easy to understand picture of actuation of the units 71 and 72 of the machine. In Figs. 6 and 8, 87 shows the cam for actuating the unit 71 and 88 shows the cam for actuating the unit 72, both cams being mounted on the cam shaft 45.

The cam 87 operates a lever mechanism 89 for actuating a rack 90 which, in turn, operates a pinion 91 on a shaft 92, which passes through a fixedly supported cam segment 93. The rack 90 is spring tensioned to maintain the lever 89 in constant engagement with the cam 87. Coupled with the upper end of the shaft 92' is one end 94 of a lever 95, the other end of which supports a shaft 96.

Supported centrally of the lever 95 is a shaft 97, to which is fixed a gear segment 98, having a roller 99 operating upon the cam surface 93' of the cam 93 in controlling rotation of the grippers70 by the segment 98 driving a pinion 100 fixed to the shaft 96.

The shaft 96 supports, at its upper end, a casing 101, note Fig. 4, in which is supported a pair of air actuated plungers 102, air being directed to inner adjacent surfaces ofthe plungers from an air admission nozzle 103 at the upper portion of the casing, note Fig. 4, the passage from said nozzle being indicated in dotted lines at 104 in Fig. 5. In other words, when air, under pressure, is injected into the casing, the plungers 102 are moved outwardly and spread the ends 105 of the grippers 70 to swing about pivots 106 on the casing 101.

Adjacent surfaces of the grippershave gear meshing surfaces 107 for simultaneous operation thereof to move the grippers in engagement with the workpiece or spool body 15, as'diagrammatically seen in Fig. 5 of the drawing. A spring 108 joins the ends 105 of the grippers and serves to move the grippers 70 into open position in engaging and disengaging the workpiece 15. In other words,' as the gripper unit'approaches the delivery statioii 28, the gripper jaws 70 will be opened and then need bycmatidn of the Pl n e 1. r nsfe r n whereas, Fig. 6'schematically shows an intermediate position of the unit, 71 and Fig. 8 illustrates a position, preparatory for engagement between the dies when moved into closed position.

'In the aforesaid operation, it will be apparent that the rack 90 operates to swing the lever 94 on the shaft 92 to move the roller 99 over the surface 93 of the cam 93, in which operation, the cam surface 93' controls swinging movement of the segment 98, which, in turn,

controls the independent swinging movement of the 'grip-;

per casing 101 and the grippers 70 operating therewith.

As the gripper mechanism 70' of the unit 72,' insofar as the casing structure 101 is concerned, is substantially the same as the structure shown in conjunction with the unit 71, no further detail description or showing of the operation of the gripper 70' will be given. This gripper or the unit 71 is supported at the free end portion of an offset arm 109, note Figs. 6 and 8, supported on a shaft 110 having, at its right end portion, a pinion 111 actuated by a rack 112, the inner end 113 of which; has

an elongated aperture 114 movable over the shaft 45, suitable spring means being employed, which is not shown, to all the time maintain a roller 115, supported on the rack, in engagement with the cam 88.

The cam 88 operates the unit 72 in swinging the gripper 70' from a raised position between the dies, as noted, in part, in Fig. 3, then to an intermediate position, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 6, then into position of Fig. 8 between the trimming tools 73, 73" and, after trimming the workpiece to remove the gate 86, the arm 109 swings downwardly a further degree to free the cast product from the trimming station; whereupon, the a r is released, allowing the grippers to move into open position, thus freeing the cast workpiece or spool for discharge from the machine.

Considering the various illustrations in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive, taken with the showing in Fig. 4, where the various parts are in the position to grasp a workpiece at the delivery station 28, it will appear that, while a precast product is at the trimming station 73, another spool body has been picked up and is in the course of being delivered to the position between the dies; whereupon, the dies and cores close in upon and engage the spool body, assuming a position similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3; whereupon, the unit 71 is actuated to again swing into the position shown in Fig. 4 and, during this operation, the arm 109' repeatedly swings the unit 72 upwardly with the grippers 70' open to engage and, then, grip the workpiece. During this latter operation, the injection shot has taken place to cast or form the rims on the ends of the spool body 15, as shown in Fig. 3, so that, promptly after this forming operation, the cores and dies are separated, so that the arm 109 can be swung downwardly to bring the product to the trimming station and, as soon as the unit 72 clears the path of movement of the unit 71, this unit delivers the next successive spool body to the dies and these operations continue in the successive intermittent formation of the rimmed spool products. 7

As previously stated, the nozzle 54 of the injection cylinder 54, note Fig. 3, moves back and forth on the axis diagrammatically shown by the dot-dash line 50' in Fig. 1a of the drawing. This operation serves to maintain the nozzle 54 in engagement with the righthand die as it moves into open position while, at the same time, bringing the nozzle 54 into the proper registering injection position shown in Fig. 3 for pressure injection of to the free end of which is pivoted a rod 117, on which is adjustably mounted a spring 118, which bears against an apertured extension 119 on the lever 95. The spring 118 serves to maintain .the roller 99 in constant engagement with the surface 93 of the cam 93. In this connection, it will be apparent that the showingof Fig. 4is a more complete showing; whereas, all of these details, namely the parts 16, 17, 18 and 19' are omitted from the rough schematic showings in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawing.

It will be apparent that the showing in Fig. 1a will illustrate the parts with the nozzle 54 partially moved to the die centers atv 53, in other words, the dies are partially closingaround a workpiece or spool body, then positionedbetween the dies.

By changing the ratio of drive between the gears 32 and 33, the speed of operation of the machine can be changed to increase or decrease the production of the resulting end product. 7

While I have shown, in the accompanying drawing the formation of two similar cast or molded parts on a body or workpiece supported within the dies, it will be understood that the same operation can be performed for forming a single cast or molded portion. In fact, with the present structure, by plugging one side of the gate passage 86, note Fig. 3, a single rim would be cast on one end only of the body 15. Then by removing this plug, and again passing the spool body 'with the single rim cast thereon through the machine, a second rim can be formed on the body and this would be desirable, particularly when a rim of one color plastic is formed at one end of the body 15 and of a contrasting color plastic at the opposed end thereof."

In producing spools of the kind under consideration, the body 15, as delivered to the dies, is usually molded from an inexpensive plastic; whereas, the rims are formed by a more durable or harder plastic, thus economizing on the production of the resulting end product in minimizing the use of the more expensive materials. This would be desirable in the production of end products of various types and kinds, particularly where the better grade of plastics are used to care for wear factor in the resulting end product.

For purposes of description, the unit 71 can be regarded as a dual swinging pickup and delivery to die or forming station unit; whereas, the unit 72 can be regarded as a pickup and delivery to trimming station and discharge unit.

As previously pointed out, it is proposed to use a less expensive plastic in the initial formation of the body 15 and casting the more expensive material in the rims 25. In addition to this, it will be apparent that, in windmg the thread upon the body 15 and part of the rims 25, the rims only will be exposed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for forming a cast portion on a preformed body, means for delivering bodies to a station in predetermined position in the machine, a rotatable and swinging gripper unit, means for actuating said unit for p1cking up bodies one at a time at said station and deliverrngthe same in position between a pair of forming dies, when in open position, said dies, when closed upon the body positioned therebetween by said unit, forming a cavity around the body of the contour of the cast portion to be formed on said body, means to then release the grippers of said unit from said body and remove the same from position between the dies, another swinging pickup unit having grippers movable into the dies to engage said body positioned in the dies, means to pressure inject material into the die cavity to form the portion cast on said body, means for actuating the second named gripper unit upon movement of the dies into open position to deliver the product, thus formed, to a trimming station, means for actuating trimming tools at said trimming station to trim the cast-on portion, and means to then release the grippers of the second named unit from said body to discharge the body with the trimmed cast portion thereon from the machine.

2. ,A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said second named means comprises a swinging lever, and a pair of air actuated grippers rotatably mounted in one end portion of said lever.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein the means for swinging the lever comprises a cam and lever actuated rack bar engaging a pinion on the axis of rotation of said lever;

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the means for rotating the grippers in the lever comprises a cam actuated gear segment operatively engaging a pinion on the axis of rotation of said grippers.

5, A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the second named unit comprises a lever supporting the grippers to swing between the dies and tools "of the trimmin'g'station and beyond the trimming station in discharge of the finished product from the machine, and means comprising a cam actuated rack operatively engaging a pinion on the axis of said last named lever for actuating the second named unit.

6. A structure as defined in claim 5, wherein the timing of operation of the two units is such that the first named unit has picked up and is delivering a body to the dies, while a body, with a cast-on portion, is being trimmed at the trimming station,

7. .A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the body is in the form of a spool having rim receiving end portions, and the cast portion comprising rims formed upon theends of said body, the rims being joined by a gate portion later removed by said trimming tools.

8. A structure as defined in claim 7, wherein a pair of cores are movable with respect to said dies and operatively engage said ends of the spool body positioned in the dies, and said cores partially forming the rims cast on the spool ends.

9. A structure as defined in claim 8, wherein. independent hydraulically actuated means is employed for applying squeeze pressure to the dies, for actuating the cores arid for pressure discharge of the material into the d a i ie nd r und sa d cores inf in th r m ends on said spool body.

Morris et al Apr. 29, 1930 Morin Jan. 16, 1945 

